


An innocent cup of coffee

by Gamma Andromedae (Amrei)



Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, JA Secret Santa, JA Secret Santa 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 17:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5506154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amrei/pseuds/Gamma%20Andromedae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jupiter just couldn’t believe that he had never had coffee before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An innocent cup of coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Jupiter, Caine, coffee, fluff
> 
> This is my gift for the-average-procratinator over on tumblr, for the JA Secret Santa.
> 
> I really enjoyed being your Santa and if you have half as much fun reading your gift as I had writing it, I’ll consider it an accomplishment. I’m not quite sure if I really succeeded in writing Fluffy Fluff With a Capital ‘F’, but what I can promise you is some silly humour and (almost) zero angst.

„You seriously never had coffee before?!”

Jupiter still stuck to the fact that no one could have guessed that such an innocent burst of indignation could end so badly. Like, who didn’t need coffee to survive through early mornings (very relevant for her) and late nights (sadly a pretty rare occasion)? No one over the age of sixteen, maybe seventeen if Jupe was being generous and thought of all these strange morning people that were supposed to exist. Not even her mom and aunt Nino managed to get up at without a cup of good strong coffee and Jupiter didn’t know anyone with a stronger work ethic even in the earliest mornings. That had at least been her opinion until just now and it had been her boyfriend of all people who had destroyed one of the few last normal certainties that had been left to her after her stunt with evil space capitalists and space bureaucracy.

To be fair Caine hadn’t had any idea either, although there probably hadn’t been any chance for him to, if she thought back on the whole mess now.

As it had been, he had only looked at her with big blue eyes and shook his head, still not quite understanding what the whole fuss was about. “No, the legion did not encourage artificial stimulants and I don’t think that most others bother with such tame drugs.”

Jupe had let the drug comment slide – for one, because she just turned mellow, when he looked at her with his big puppy-eyes – _Ha!_ _And no, she hadn’t gotten tired of that little private joke yet_ \- and secondly because she wasn’t really sure how to argue his point. Damn him.

Well, her horror had only gotten worse, when he had explained that caffeine was generally not really deemed worth notice by those not of earth. While the entitled gorged themselves on the rush that Regenex could afford them when it renewed their systems in one unbelievable – disgusting- strike, if they could afford it, or on hormones directly injected into their blood stream to push them into their brightest moods or bring them to the most exhilarating heights, if they couldn’t, the regular folks apparently horded every cent for low-quality youth elixirs, or, if even that was too much, hormone plasters. No one else seemed to really appreciate the innocent relief that was a cup of good, black coffee.

“You mean, coffee just isn’t a thing where you’re from? Not at all?!” Even if there hadn’t been the whole cannibalizing-humans-for-what-boiled-down-to-sophisticated-anti-wrinkle-cream-thing, Jupiter had suddenly been doubly glad for her decision to have as little as humanly possible to do with anything that wasn’t directly related to earth. “That’s just crazy, I mean, I just can’t let that stand! You have missed out on one of the very best things in the world, the universe! Come on!”

Caine had seemed more amused than truly concerned at her outburst, but he had let her drag him along with her to the nearest Starbucks and she had almost managed not to grimace, when she had handed the barrister the absurd amount they charged for a plain old cup of coffee. Sadly, owning earth was not accompanied by any liquid assets, but the facts had been clear: Starbucks didn’t only have the most expensive coffee imaginable, they also had the best and Caine simply couldn’t do with any less than the best for his first coffee experience, if she had anything to say about it, so Jupiter had had no other choice than to suck it up and pay.

“So what do you say?” Jupiter had almost been bouncing on the leather couch they had found in the corner of the store with excitement, as Caine had sipped at his cup. He had grimaced a little, trying to cover the gesture up with a smile, when Jupiter’s face had fallen. “It’s a little bitter, but, I mean, I was just a little surprised.” He had taken another big gulp and this time he had managed to keep a straight face. “You know, it’s already much better.”

Jupiter hadn’t been quite sure that she believed him, but he had insisted and emptied his cup in two more fast gulps and had smiled at her and she’d let the topic rest, as she had sipped at her own cup. “I suppose it’s an acquired taste…” she had finally admitted, a little ashamed at how much this had meant to her and he had smiled the sweet little smile, that crinkled his eyes and she had felt her knees go weak. “Even if some tastes are acquired, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be just wonderful.” In that moment Jupe hadn’t even cared how goofy she looked when she had returned his smile.

Now, not quite two hours later, back in the small apartment he used, when he visited her for longer stretches of time, the warm feeling in her belly had completely vanished, replaced by a sick dreed. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do? I could run to the drugstore next door or do you have some space first aid-kit stashed somewhere?”

Another heaving sound from the other side of the bathroom door, than a chocked voice. “No, I’m fine, I think it’s almost over-“ Judging from the sounds starting up again that had been an overhasty assessment and Jupiter cringed.

“I’m so, so sorry- I just didn’t think.” Her voice started to tremble and she swallowed hard before she spoke again. “I was just so stupid.” Hot tears ran down her face, and she wiped them away angrily and turned away from the door. This whole mess was her own damn fault, and the last thing she deserved was to get pity from the victim of her thoughtlessness. She must have overheard the door opening again in her quiet anger, because suddenly a pair of strong arms were wrapped around her.

Jupiter turned around again. Caine looked like, hell, pale and tired, but he was smiling at her warmly. “I said it’s fine. You couldn’t have known – I didn’t.”

She burrowed her face against his chest, too ashamed to face him. “But theoretically I did know. I mean it feels sort of racist to really make the connection, but everyone knows that dogs can’t tolerate coffee, I just…” She looked up at him aghastly. “Oh god, do you see what I mean? That just sounded horrible! I mean I love you with all the wolfish aspects, but, you know, I also see you as a person, and this just gets worse the more I talk-“

Caine quieted her with a finger against her nervously babbling mouth. Jupiter had to agree: Getting her to shut up was probably the best for all involved.

“You know, if I hadn’t just spent the last ten minutes being sick, I’d kiss you now.” She looked at him a little surprised, then she shook her head giggling slightly. “I rather you didn’t then!” She wiped away the last wet tracks on her face, looking at him confusedly. “I just don’t understand you, I almost poisoned you, and you aren’t even mad!”

“I’ve had worse.” He grinned, but his face turned softer when he spoke again. “And it’s not important that you didn’t know. What matters is that you care and aren’t revolted by the ‘why’.”

 Jupiter just shook her head unbelievingly. “You’re just too perfect to be true, you know. It’s really annoying sometimes.”

Caine grinned wolfishly, letting his fangs flash a little. “I guess, you’ll have to live with that.”

She laughed again and he hugged her even closer to him. There was still all too much they didn’t know about each other, but they would manage, just as they had up until then. They had conquered space elitists and her crazy family, something like this would not stop them. Still…

“Are you sure I can’t bring you a glass of water?”

“Jupiter!”


End file.
